Five Ways to Enjoy Music and Movement With Your Toddler
Music and movement are integral parts of life. Think of what happens when you can no longer hear musical sounds. The ringtone on your cell phone would go unheard, and the musical vibrations of the tornado warning system would be completely missed. Think of what happens when you are no longer able to move your body. You cannot get up and chase your children around the room, and you have trouble answering the door when a friend drops by for a visit. Rather than walking on your own two feet and enjoying the music of life, you have to rely on awkward mobility devices and listen to more basic, boring sounds all day.
It is obvious that music and movement is central to the enjoyment of life. Singers who are able to make a living creating music are paid huge salaries, are considered celebrities, and at times are worshipped by followers. This is not just because they are attractive or have great voices. It is because they music they create touches the lives of their fans. Their music makes life more enjoyable, allows fans to express complicated emotions they cannot put into words themselves, and even helps young adults discover themselves.
Music sets the mood for so many important occasions in life, and that starts at very young ages. Your toddler will enjoy the upcoming holiday season by learning Christmas carols and singing songs at Thanksgiving. They will hear the gobble gobble of the turkey as a melodic tune they can run around the house squealing. Their enjoyment of life will come through music over and over again as their life progresses.
Do you want to enjoy this music along with your child? Of course you do, so here are five ways you can do that:
1. Pick them up and dance with them. As they experience movement through your body, they will learn how to move their own bodies. As they get older, put them down and encourage them to move with you, but in their own unique way.
2. Take a music class. There are many early childhood music programs around, so you should easily find something suitable for you and your little one to enjoy together.
3. Watch children’s programs that are musically inclined. Even something as simple as watching The Wiggles can get your little one moving. These programs are on the child’s level, but you can have fun mimicking the movements on the screen as well.
4. Put your child on the “stage.” If you have a child who loves music, allow them to put on shows for you. Pop some popcorn, get comfortable on the couch, and allow them to go through their favorite songs with dance moves they have put together themselves. Remember, you should encourage an encore for every performance.
5. Listen to music while you fold laundry or wash dishes. Make music a natural part of your home, almost like a backdrop to everything else happening in the home. Your child will benefit tremendously, and it will lift your mood as well.
You should expose your children to a wide variety of instruments and types of music. You never know what they will love and what will shape their personality later in life!
